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Real estate showdown

Rival real estate agents and siblings Phil DuMoulin and Sarah Daniels of the TV show Urban Suburban. The show filmed an episode in Montreal in July.

Photograph by: Pierre Obendrauf
, The Gazette

Traditionally, students, professionals and singles have chosen the entertainment and convenience of downtown living while families have opted to live in less commercially congested areas such as the West Island, Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and Westmount.

But the real estate landscape in Montreal is quickly changing. With many large condo projects going up in the downtown area, families now have more options to live closer to their workplaces. On the other hand, the value of a quiet neighbhourhood away from the hustle of the city's core hasn't lost its charm.

So how do you pick between the two lifestyles? That's exactly what Philip DuMoulin and Sarah Daniels explore in their HGTV series Urban Suburban. The show features the real estate experts facing off as they guide families through urban and suburban houses - competing to find each family their perfect location, price, and home. Du-Moulin champions city living, while Daniels reveals the perks of life in the suburbs.

The siblings spread out throughout the island for three days in July to film the Montreal episode of their show.

"It's often difficult for us to truly gauge the real estate market in each city because we fly in and are only there for a few days," DuMoulin said. "That being said, cities like Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver have somewhat of a similar setup because their cores are surrounded by boroughs."

But that's not to say that the cities themselves are alike, he continued.

"Every time I come here I'm reminded of why I love this city so much," he said. "It's just so beautiful and has such a unique charm and character."

DuMoulin's jaunt through the downtown real estate sector left him with a positive impression of the city's development.

"The market has been hot in Montreal, I saw a lot of new condominium construction which represents a big trend right now," he said. "Developers are trying to build residential towers downtown that are suitable for everyone from singles to families so that residents can minimize commute time and have their homes only minutes away from their work."

A short commute is a huge selling point in any city, he added.

"As time becomes more precious and we all become increasingly busy, you want to commute less," DuMoulin said.

"It's hard on the family otherwise, so these residential towers are popping up in an effort to minimize the commute."

In addition to exploring the city's downtown core, DuMoulin also ventured through nearby N.D.G.

"It's so close to downtown and it's such a trendy community; Montreal is great for areas like that," he said. "When you drive through these different sections of the city and you see the old style with the semi-bricked properties, amazing architecture and huge trees it's just so impressive."

While DuMoulin took in the urban market his sister spent her time checking out parts of the West Island, spending most of her time in Dollard-des-Ormeaux and Beaconsfield.

"I've been to Beaconsfield several times; it's so pretty," Daniels said. "It's reminiscent of another time in a way with its older homes and more mature landscaping."

Parts of D.D.O. seemed to be much newer, she correctly observed.

"Dollard seems like a younger area and probably more of a bedroom community," she said. "I got the impression that Beaconsfield is more of a self-supporting, long-standing community where people work and live."

Aside from the humidity, Daniels says, the price points surprised her most during her time here.

"Montreal is much more affordable than other North American cities," she said. "For instance, $400,000 for something newer in Vancouver would get you about 600 square feet."

It would have nice amenities, but it would look exactly like every other one bedroom out there, she continued.

"But in Beaconsfield you can get a nice little house for the same price," she said. "I've had people contact me looking for a place in Vancouver and when they find out the price points of the market they decide not to move there; Montreal is much more affordable."

Even though Daniels spent her production time in the West Island, she got to experience some of the downtown area as well and even stayed in Old Montreal for the duration of her time here.

"We had such a great time around our hotel looking at all the beautiful old architecture. It really stands out," she said.

"There's so much heritage here, so much choice in the kinds of homes and buildings you can own; the old traditional-style lofts and brownstones and the age of the city lends itself so well to a diverse real estate market."

When they aren't busy filming, Daniels and her brother are both realtors in Vancouver and have been in the real estate industry for about 10 years.

"It just kind of happened that we both got into real estate at the same time," Daniels said.

"Working on the show together is a lot of fun," Du-Moulin added. "We have the same family squabbles as everyone else but we have a great time."

The second season of Urban Suburban will feature major cities across Canada - including Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal and Hali-

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